


Just the Beginning

by Shmoopy73



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Bokoblins - Freeform, F/M, Fluffy, Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild - Freeform, Link and Reader meet, Link/reader - Freeform, Saved his ass, Selectively Mute Link (Legend of Zelda), That's what, What am I doing, fighting scenes, i'm also terrible at titles, this instead of actual work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:55:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26245267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shmoopy73/pseuds/Shmoopy73
Summary: It's just another routine day across Hyrule, until it isn't. She can't just stand by when someone could be in trouble, and her act of kindness turns into an agreement of sorts.
Relationships: Link/Reader
Comments: 6
Kudos: 64





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this a while ago, forgot about it, then found it again, and here it is. I have more, so let me know if you want it!

She groaned as she dismounted her horse, stretching out her sore back muscles. She's been riding across Hyrule all day, and she could feel it in her body. She let out a heavy sigh as she led her horse Ace down the slight bank to the river for a drink. The sun was on it's way down and the lack of extra heat made her shiver. She knew they had to get moving before nightfall but she needed to stretch her legs and Ace needed a breather. She could see Wetland stable just up ahead and she couldn't wait to take in the beautiful sight of a soft bed. She still had a long way to go to get to Eldin, and it didn't help that she’d had to make a wide berth around the castle to avoid the killer mechanical guardians. She stripped the pack off her back, patting the pockets to feel for her package. It was something she's been doing out of habit for years now to make sure it was still there.

She was torn out of her thoughts by Ace, who was apparently done drinking from the river and was wandering off in search of a good place to graze. She finished stretching and walked over to him to run her fingers through his jet black mane while he ate.

"Not far left until we turn in for the night bud. What do you think, you ready to go?" He nickered in response and she chuckled, reaching into one of the many saddle bags for an carrot to give him. After he finished his snack, she returned her pack to its place on her back and gathered the reins to prepare to mount. When she heard the unmistakable grunt of a bokoblin nearby, she stiffened instantly. She knew the noise was too close for comfort. Too tired to be interested in a fight, she decided it would be best to just get out of there. With a foot in the stirrup, she reached for the saddle to hoist herself up when another grunt reached her ears, this one sounding entirely too much like a person, followed instantly by the sound of swords clashing.

"Oh crap" she muttered, letting out a dramatic sigh to the empty air. She knew she couldn't leave when someone was fighting off monsters without at least checking on them.

"So much for a boring day, huh bud." She said, patting Ace on the neck as he went back to his grazing. Making sure her bow was secure over her shoulder, she took a few extra arrows out of one her packs and threw them in her quiver, just in case. She had a small dagger to fight with if she had to, but she was much more comfortable with her bow. She left Ace and began climbing up the small hill nearby, sun sinking behind her, in the direction of the noise.

The sounds of battle were getting louder as she climbed, until finally she peered over the top of the hill and looked down onto what appeared to be a bokoblin camp. She's seen these camps it seems like a million times, but she's become somewhat of an expert at avoiding them.

Peering down the hill, she was shocked to see a single boy fighting off four bokoblins at once. She watched him for a moment, mesmerized as she followed the blur of blonde hair and blue tunic. He was moving extraordinarily fast, but every blow was precise and calculated. She watched as he took out two of the monsters in one strong blow and immediately moved to the third, swinging the sword with expert precision. By the time he had pushed the third bokoblin onto it’s back, preparing to deliver the final blow that would send the creature into a cloud of purple smoke, she was officially impressed by this strangers skills. Then something occurred to her.

"Weren't there four?" she mumbled to herself, immediately scanning the area for the final threat. She saw the last blue bokoblin as it charged, spear in hand, towards the boy while his back was turned. Her hands were in motion before she knew what she was doing, pulling her bow off her shoulder, notching an arrow and taking aim. She released the string, letting the arrow fly just before the monster's spear reached the boy. He turned around, having dispatched the third bokoblin, just in time to see the fourth fall to ground with an arrow stuck perfectly in it's head. The boy's eyes went wide, realizing how close he was to seriously getting hurt. His head whipped in her direction, looking for the source of the arrow. Since she was still kneeling on the ground at the top of the hill, she hoped he wouldn't see her. She was all for helping people not get killed, but people skills weren’t her forte. Probably a result of travelling alone for years. Her eyes locked with the boy's, which she now noticed were an intoxicating blue that she could see even from this distance, and she knew she'd been spotted. They stared at each other for a moment before she broke the eye contact, looping her bow back over her shoulder. She turned around, making her way back down the hill towards Ace hoping the boy would get the hint. She still had to get to the stable before the sun sunk the rest of the way down, knowing that the truly creepy monsters came out at night.

She found Ace right where she'd left him grazing contently. She jumped up into the saddle and gave him a light kick until he was trotting towards the stable, which she was quickly losing sight of in the now dim light.

She reached the stable just as the sun disappeared beneath the horizon, and she worked to get Ace settled in. The workers offered to take him for her, as they always do, but she preferred to do it herself. There weren't many people she trusted Ace to, if any at all, and with the nature of her business she's gotten used to not letting anyone near her saddle bags or packs. She’s long since learned not to ask her clients what she's transporting for them, so she's gotten into the habit of treating every package like a high value diamond, because for all she knew it could be. Either way she didn’t want to know, it was easier this way.

After she had Ace settled in and munching on some hay, she pulled a few ingredients out of her pack and headed to the cooking pot. She was hungry, but she was more interested in getting to bed so she opted for making some simmered fruit to hold her over until morning. It was easier to make than most dishes, and she had an over abundance of apples and berries at the moment, having just come across Hyrule Plains from Rito Village.

She rounded the corner of Ace’s stall headed for the pot when she stopped in her tracks. Sitting there, wooden spoon in hand, was the blonde boy she’d saved. His eyes were glued to his food cooking in the pot, seemingly lost in thought as he turned the spoon over and over in his hand. He hadn’t looked up and noticed her yet, so she wondered if she could just sneak back out of sight to avoid an awkward confrontation. As she started backing away, intent on just forgetting dinner and going to bed, his head snapped up and his eyes locked on her.

She froze and cursed under her breath, not sure what to do. She wasn’t sure if he was going to ream her out for poaching his kill or be angry and embarrassed that he'd been saved by a girl. He would have to be a real dick to yell at her after she basically saved his life, but it’s happened before. Some guy’s prides get wounded so easily. She braced herself for his reaction.

However, it seems she hadn't needed to worry because this boy surprised her by breaking out into a huge, beautiful grin. He stood to wave her over frantically, pot and spoon forgotten. She stepped tentatively over to him, taking a seat across from him on the other side of the pot. He seemed to notice the distance she was putting between them, but kept smiling nonetheless.

“Um, hi” she said awkwardly, though it came out more as a question than a greeting. He looked her over from head to toe, taking in every detail. She wasn’t sure if she should be flattered or reaching for her bow.

“I wasn’t sure you were real” He said, seemingly awestruck. His voice was smooth and attractive, and she was mesmerized by it for a moment. When she realized she was staring she looked away, face heating up despite the cool night air. He cleared his throat.

“So, where are you headed?” He asked, attention back on the food in the pot. While she was sneaking glances at him, it seemed he was avoiding looking at her. She thought he was blushing for a moment, but it was probably just a trick of the fire's light.

“I, um.. Eldin. I’m headed to Goron city, hopefully.” She stuttered out, feeling more than a little dumb.

“Hopefully?” He was looking at her now, staring at her with his inquisitive blue eyes.

“Yeah, I uh, I’ve never been there before and I’m not sure how I’m going to survive the heat. In the past I’ve always had my patrons meet me at the southern mine where the heat is bearable, but this time I’m meeting with the chief so I have to go into the city.” She knew she was starting to ramble, as she always does when she’s nervous. She was hoping for a hole to open up in the ground and swallow her up. _Yup, I still have no people skills. It doesn’t help that he’s totally, intimidatingly gorgeous._

“Patrons? What do you do?” He was being very nice so far, even though he didn’t speak much. She wasn’t sure how to feel, she was still on edge waiting for him to be angry about the Bokoblin earlier.

“I’m uh, a messenger of sorts, I guess. Look, I don’t mean to be rude but why are you being so nice to me? I thought you would’ve been mad about me killing that Bokoblin earlier.” Her voice started off strong but faltered as she went on, afraid of the impending anger from him. She started playing with the stem of the apple she was still holding, suddenly finding it very interesting.

“Mad? You saved my hide back there! Your aim was dead on, and from that far away, that shot was amazing!" She looked up and met his gaze, a little shocked. He was smiling at her, and she was blushing again from the compliment.

"Oh, well I'm sure you could've handled it if I hadn't, you were incredible with that sword." His grin was taken over by a blush of his own. He looked away while rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, clearly as uncomfortable with compliments as she was. She was pulled away from her staring by the smell of something burning, reminding her of the food in the pot.

"Uh, you seem to be burning something here." she giggled, motioning towards the pot. He jumped up from his seat spoon in hand to begin pulling the stew from the pot and into a bowl. She laughed again when she saw his face get even more red, if that was possible. Her giggling subsided when he thrust a bowl towards her.

"No, that’s okay, thank you though." She said, lifting her fruit for him to see she had her own food to eat. He looked at her apple and berries disapprovingly, and motioned towards the bowl once more.

"Are you sure?" she asked, feeling shy again.

"Think of it as a thank you." he said simply, putting the bowl into her hands and sitting down across from her with his own. She smiled in return and watched him dig in for a moment. She couldn’t help but notice how thrilled the food seemed to make him, and it made her chuckle a little to herself. Taking a bite, her eyes drifted shut and she groaned in pleasure at the flavors on her tongue. When she opened her eyes again they met his blue ones, which were staring at her intensely.

"This is so good! You're an amazing cook!" He blushed as he smiled once more, taking another bite.

***

"So, you're a messenger?" They were both finishing up their dinner when he asked, curiosity clearly getting the better of him. She shrugged. "Yeah sort of. I've been sent all over Hyrule for all kinds of reasons. Messages and trading mostly when people are too busy or afraid to do the travelling themselves. A few times I've escorted others from place to place who don't know where they're going." She was beginning to feel more comfortable around him, the meal doing wonders at breaking the awkwardness. He sat up straighter at her response, looking at her from across the now smoldering fire.

"So you know how to navigate Hyrule?" He asked.  
"Of course, I know the land like the back of my hand." He grinned at her, clearly gearing up for another question.

"Do you know how to get to Great Hyrule Forest?" She frowned, making her nose scrunch up.

"Why would you want to go to the lost woods? That place is dangerous." She'd heard of stories of people going in there and never coming back out. She made it a point to never get near it.

"I'm looking for something, and I've heard rumors that I can find it there." She looked at him incredulously.

"You've got to be crazy to go in there. People who go in there never come out!" He chuckled at her incredulous expression, and the sound made her stomach spawn butterflies.

"I'm not too worried about it, I think I know how to get to what I need, I just need to find the entrance to the forest." He paused for a moment before he perked up.

"How about this? If you take me to Great Hyrule Forest, I'll get you into Goron City." She met his intense gaze, a little surprised at the proposition. She thought about it for a moment.

"How do I know you can get us into Goron City without setting us both on fire?" Her bluntness made him laugh, disrupting her butterflies again. His laugh was so contagious she couldn't help but smile.

"I know a guy." he said with a shrug. She gave him a wary look.

"You know a guy?" she repeated, skeptical.

"I know a guy" he confirmed. "Trust me." She looked him over once more, not sure whether or not she should believe him. Weirdly enough, she couldn't help but feel like she could trust him. Besides, what other options did she have to get into the city?

"Okay, but on one condition. I am not going into the Lost Woods. I'll take you to the entrance but you go in alone."

"Done." He broke out into a heart-stopping grin and held his hand out over the now cool cooking pot for her to shake. She reached out and took it, feeling the wear and calluses against her own soft fingers. They held on a touch longer than needed before breaking apart. He cleared his throat and began packing up his things.

"Alright, well I'm going to turn in, I'll see you in the morning?" He asked her, avoiding eye contact again while he gathered his things.

"Sure." She said, stifling a yawn. With all the excitement she had forgotten how tired she was. She watched as he rose from his seat and started walking towards the stable before stopping abruptly and turning back towards her.

"Wait, I never caught your name." He looked at her with his blue eyes soft, and she gave him a small smile.

"(Y/N). My name is (Y/N)." He smiled in return.

"It’s nice to meet you (Y/N). I'm Link."

"Goodnight Link." His smile got wider.

"Goodnight (Y/N)."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I either don't update at all or update twice in the same week lol. In either case, the comments y'all left gave me the motivation to finish slapping this chapter together and get it out there so here it is!

(Y/N) awoke at the crack of dawn, feeling refreshed and alert. She was excited to get on the road again, but nervous about spending so much time with the mysterious Link. She hasn't travelled with anyone in what seems like forever, and she hoped it wouldn't be unbearably awkward. She knew part of her nervousness had to do with her attraction to Link, and she tried to convince herself not to think about it. _He's just a person, a stranger at that! Just put walls up around these strange feelings and lock them away._ She sighed. _I can do this._

"Just a few days until I get this delivered to the Goron City chief, then things will go back to just me and Ace." she mumbled to herself while doing a double check through her packs to make sure she had everything. Sighing, she hauled her pack and saddle bags over her shoulder and made her way out to greet Ace for the morning. Rounding the corner, she saw Link already there buckling the saddle of the most beautiful pure white stallion she'd ever seen. Hearing her approach, he looked over his shoulder and shot her a soft smile.

"Good morning." She could feel her walls crumble at the sound of his voice. _So much for that_. Giving him her own, shy greeting, she turned her attention to the beautiful animal in front of her.

"Wow." she breathed, taking in the steed. This was a horse fit for a royal, and she felt like she didn't deserve to be in it's presence. "He's beautiful!" she told him.

"Thanks" he replied, blushing a little. She tore her eyes away when she heard her own mount nicker. She walked over to Ace with his morning apple already in hand.

"Hey buddy, good morning! Did you sleep well?" She gushed over the horse, running her fingers over his pitch black coat while he ate his treat, then she pulled him out of his stall to gear him up and put her saddle bags back in place. He seemed to be raring to go this morning, fidgeting in place impatiently. She lost herself in her regular routine of making sure Ace was ready for a day of travel, checking over his body and legs for any injuries. Finally finished, she gave him a kiss on the little white spot on his nose before throwing herself up into the saddle. She looked over to Link to ask if he was ready, but the words died in her throat when she caught him staring at her. She felt her face heat up but forced herself not to look away, meeting his gaze.

"What?" He was probably going to make fun of her for doting on Ace the way she does. She didn't care, Ace was her best friend and companion; they've been together or years. He just shook his head.

"Nothing." He replied smiling at her, rubbing his own horse along the nose. "Just nice to see such a loved horse is all."

She knew her face was as red as a fresh picked apple at this point. She adjusted herself in the saddle, looking down as she ran one hand along Ace's neck beneath her.

"Oh." she tried to hide her smile, not sure what else to say. Link jumped up into the saddle of his mount and gave him a kick, moving him up alongside Ace.

"So, which way to Great Hyrule Forest?" He asked her, giving her a big grin. Bringing herself back to reality, she nodded her head toward the trail ahead of them and gave Ace a nudge towards it. She turned to Link again as they set out at a leisurely walk.

"Are you sure about this? I was kind of hoping you'd come to your senses about going into the Lost Woods." He looked over at her with a smile and shrugged, body moving to the rhythm of his horse's steps.

"Yeah I figured" She said, a smile of her own forming. _His smiles are contagious,_ she thought. "Well then, we'd better get a move on." She tapped Ace into a trot before giving him another, more firm kick, signaling him into a full gallop. He happily took off down the path, and she turned just enough to see that Link was on their tail.

******

After a while they slowed down, their horses walking side by side in sync. (Y/N) was sure they must be quite a sight; the contrast of Ace's colors, black as the night, next to the pure white fur of Link's mount was quite the shock. The silence between she and Link wasn't awkward like she'd expected, but rather comfortable. She couldn't help but steal a few side glances here and there though. After a few moments, curiosity got the better of her.

"So, where are you from? I mean, I assume it isn't around here if you need help finding Hyrule Forest." She looked over at him, smiling to let him know she was joking. He sighed, suddenly looking conflicted.

"It's kind of a long story. I guess the short version is I lost my memory about a month or so ago, so I'm not really sure honestly." She did her best to keep the shocked looked off of her face, but she wasn't sure how well she'd done.

"I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have asked it's none of my business." She shook her head, mentally kicking herself for saying anything at all.

"It's okay, you didn't know. I'm dealing with it, just trying to right some wrongs." He trailed off, the small smile he'd given her fading. She could feel that there was more to what he was saying, but she didn't press the issue.

"Anyway, tell me about you. How did you become 'a messenger of sorts'?" She smiled at the change of subject and dove into the story she's told plenty of times before. How, after realizing how much she despised staying in one place for too long, she set out to see the world, and ended up being approached by a shopkeeper in Kakariko village who offered a substantial amount of rupees to deliver a letter to a stable boy in Akkala for her, and it sort of snowballed from there. Before she knew it she was rambling again, but he sat quietly and listened to every word, nodding here and there to let her know he was still listening.

******

It was midday by the time they had crossed over Thims bridge, and the two were laughing and joking like old friends. As they rounded a bend in the path, (Y/N) could see the top of Woodland Stable above the trees.

"You're afraid of heights?!" She laughed at the incredulous look on his face as he teased her.

"Not so much the heights, I'm much more afraid of falling from high places." She told him, and he threw his head back in laughter at her frank explanation. She couldn't help but laugh along with him, reveling in how good he looked like that. _Stop thinking that!_

Suddenly, his laughter stopped. She looked over at him and his face had turned serious as his head whipped around, looking for something.

"What's wrong?" she asked, feeling uneasy at his sudden change in demeanor. He pulled his mount, whos name she had learned was Storm, to a halt in the middle of the path. She pulled back on the reins, stopping Ace a short distance away.

"I thought I heard something." he said, eyes darting from tree to tree in the small wooded area they were crossing through. She scanned the area, looking for any sign of a threat. Her hand instinctively went to her bow, taking it off her shoulder to ready in case of an attack. She looked over at Link again, who was tense in the saddle with a hand on the hilt of his sword. She was about to ask him what he'd heard when the sound reached her ears. The cry for help in the form of a high pitched scream was so far ahead of them she almost missed the sound. Without a word, Link kicked Storm and took off after the source of the cry.

(Y/N) gave Ace a swift kick and he took off galloping after them. Just off the trail, she caught a glimpse of a blue bokoblin chasing after a young woman with a sword. The woman screamed again, running in the direction of the trail in a desperate effort to get away from the monster. (Y/N) stopped Ace alongside of Link just as he was leaping from the saddle with his own sword in hand. As if he had just remembered she was there, he glanced up at her with a stern look.

"Stay here." he told her in a serious tone before taking off in the direction they had seen the monster chase the woman: into the trees on the opposite side of the trail. She scoffed, caught off guard by his quick change in demeanor and subsequent demand. Rolling her eyes, she jumped down from the saddle and ran after him, already notching an arrow.

She was just behind Link when they caught up to the woman, and her pursuer was no where to be seen. Link's head was on a swivel, looking around the clearing feverishly for any indication that the monster was nearby. He walked a few steps away in the direction the bokoblin had been heading, looking for any signs of tracks. Seeing no immediate sign of danger, (Y/N) approached the young woman cautiously as she sat on the ground, breathing heavily. She was frail to say the least, (Y/N) observed, with dark hair tied back and dirty clothes that seemed to tremble with her heaving.

"Are you okay?" she asked, relaxing her bow and kneeling down. Her eyes raked the woman's extremities, searching for injuries.

"I'm fine, thank the Goddess. Where - " the woman's words gave way to another earth shattering scream, and (Y/N) stood, turning in place just in time to see the blue bokoblin come out from behind a small hill, running straight for her with one of those small swords lizalfo's always use. She froze as she watched the creature come at her, crossing the small grassy area quickly and with it's ugly face twisted into a snarl. _Crap._

"(Y/N)!" Link's voice broke her out of her split second stupor and her instincts took over again. Her hands brought her bow up to her eye seemingly on their own accord. Without even thinking, she let an arrow fly and watched it pierce the monster straight in between the eyes. It stopped in it's tracks for a moment before falling forward, mere inches from her boots. She pulled another arrow from her quiver as quickly as she could and trained it on the bokoblin now lying still at her feet, waiting to see if it would get back up. When a cloud of purple smoke blew in her face she relaxed the string of her bow, seeing that the threat was taken care of. Her senses slowly came back to her and she heard the blood pumping in her ears, her heart racing from the adrenaline. Returning her arrow to it's quiver, she fanned the smoke with one hand until it finally cleared and she could see around her again. She felt her muscles relax, making her realize for the first time how hard she had been gripping her bow. Once the last of the smoke cleared her eyes met Link's and she let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

He jogged over to her, concern written all over his face. Without a word he took hold of her shoulders and started looking her up and down, inspecting for injuries. She stood there awkwardly for a moment before the realization of what just happened hit her, and she burst out laughing. Link stopped what he was doing to meet her glistening eyes with his own inquisitive blue ones.

"That was close!" (Y/N) said, bursting into another fit of giggles. He kept his hold on one pf her shoulders as she doubled over with laughter, and after a moment he found himself chuckling too.

Finally straightening up, her eyes met his again as they got their laughter under control. She wiped a tear from her eye and took a deep breath. His hand was still on her shoulder, and she felt her face heat up under his gaze. The sound of feet shuffling nearby tore them out of the trance they were in and they simultaneously took a step away from each other, remembering the young woman they'd come to save. (Y/N) was glad for the diversion, but also couldn't keep from missing the warmth his hand had brought to her skin, even through the thick fabric of her tunic.

The girl was standing now and brushing her clothes off, not paying them any attention. (Y/N) was thankful for that, at least, while she tried to get her blushing under control.

"Typical. Just typical." The stranger grumbled while she wiped at a particularly stubborn dirt stain on her tunic.

"Are you sure you're alright?" (Y/N) asked, both thankful for the distraction from Link, and still concerned for the woman.

"I'm fine. All I wanted to do was sit by the river, you know? Goddess, I can't even do that anymore." she rolled her eyes. "Whatever, I'm going back to the stable." She turned to leave, headed back towards the trail before she suddenly turned back around and walked back to where (Y/N) still stood.

"Here, I guess I should reward you." she lay a few green rupies in her savior's hand and hastily walked away.

"I don't-" (Y/N) wanted to tell her she didn't need a reward and to take the money back, but the girl was gone before she could finish her sentence. She looked down at the payment in her hands, up to the retreating back of the strange girl, and then over to Link, who was still beside her, observing quietly. He shrugged in response to her silent question before bending to pick up his sword from where he'd dropped it earlier and sheathing it. She watched as he walked wordlessly back to the horses, who were grazing right where they'd left them. Shaking her head to clear the cobwebs that had surely begun forming in the last few seconds, she pocketed the money, intent on returning it to the girl the next time she saw her.

"What a weird day" she mumbled to herself while she walked back over to where Ace was standing patiently waiting for her. "And it isn't even over yet!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOL does anyone else laugh in serious situations? No? Just me? Okay, anywayyysss... Apologies for any misspellings or mistakes! Please let me know what you think!

**Author's Note:**

> As always, honesty is the best policy! Let me know what you think!


End file.
